PHOTOS: Two Of The Biggest Losing Governors In The Last Elections

More than most other politicians in the country, Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa and Babangida Aliyu of Niger understand each other well. They understand their similar fates and in their sober moments, the two men might be ruing it.

When seven PDP governors got tired of the happenings in the ruling party, they formed a faction called the ‘new PDP.’ Aliyu and Lamido were two of the most vocal in the group, arguably only topped by Gov. Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers. Aliyu even described himself as the leader of the G7.

However the nation was shocked when the other five governors decided to dump the PDP altogether and join the APC while the two chose to stay put despite their strong reservations.

Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto and Amaechi all defected to the APC, but Lamido and Aliyu remained.

It is hard to tell exactly why they stayed, even though in Lamido’s case, the arrest of his sons by the EFCC might have been the decider. Remain in the PDP or have your sons prosecuted seemed to be his two options. He chose to remain, his sons were let off the hook, but that decision effectively led to his massive fall during the last elections.

Aliyu suffered a personal loss. His desire to move from Government House to the Senate chamber like many second term governors do, failed woefully. David Umaru trounced him at the polls. Wose still, the PDP lost all the elections in his state.

In Jigawa, Lamido did not run for any office this time but – like Aliyu – his party also lost all the elections in the state as the APC won the governorship, as well as the majority of legislative seats from the state.

Perhaps understanding that more than other political leaders in the country, the both of them had suffered and endured similar fates, Governors Aliyu and Lamido have turned to each other in these trying time for consolation, exchanging several visits and knowing that the other has lived through a similar story and has been confronted with similar decision making moments and – like you – chose what now looks like the wrong option.

Only last week, Gov. Lamido commissioned road projects in his state which he named after the seven governors who together had started the new PDP movement – the old comrades who had to break up in the end. His special guest at the occasion was Gov. Aliyu (none of the other governors was present).

It was at that commissioning event that Aliyu first called on PDP chairman Adamu Mu’azu to resign.

Yesterday it was Aliyu’s turn to invite Lamido for the commissioning of some projects.

Despite rumours that they were planning on forming a new party in reaction to the loss, the duo said during the commissioning of the bridge across River Kaduna in Shiroro, that they remain committed to the PDP.

According to them, it is impossible for them to leave a house (PDP) they had laboured to build while assuring that they would never allow intruders and interlopers to take over.

Governor Aliyu once again called for the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Adamu Muazu whom he accused of using the money of the party to fight the governors.

“We are not creating a new party, we will remain in the PDP whoever planted the story has made a mistake. We had opportunity to defect but we did not because we believe that defection is not the best way to develop and entrench democracy. Whatever you see today is designed by God. It is not compulsory to be on the winning side always,’’ the outspoken governor declared.

Aliyu said the loss of PDP in the last elections ‘‘is a lesson to everyone, after 16 years of being in power we should not be annoyed, we should not show unfaithfulness’’.

He chided the Adamu Muazu led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP saying that they should throw in the towel for leading the party to a ‘disastrous defeat’ in the general election.

‘‘How could you lead a party to disastrous outing in an election and you are still in place, take the blame for the defeat by quitting and if the PDP still wants you they will beg you to stay?’’ he said.

Governor Lamido on his part said: “We have both agreed not to leave the party, we dey kampe for PDP, we dey shelele for PDP. It is not time for blame game, we should all accept that we made mistakes and find ways to correct it in the future”.

He was also very critical of the APC – the party of his old friends. He said that the APC and the president-elect have to deliver as no excuses will be accepted for failure since no condition was given when they made all their promises. Lamido accused the APC of running a divisive campaign.

What next for the two men? Without the leverage of their governor’s office, they are unlikely to pull as much weight as before. In fact it is instructive that whereas Aliyu and Ayo Fayose of Ekiti are the two PDP governors who have so far openly called for Mu’azu’s resignation, it is only Fayose that is being wooed and approached by the party leadership. No one seems to be taking Aliyu seriously anymore. After May 29, things are even going to get tougher. Only then will we know if their vow of absolute loyalty to the PDP will still hold firm.